Grow Your Own!!!

Are you tired of bland supermarket veggies that look gorgeous and taste flat? Does the idea of random, unspecified pesticides on all your produce make you uncomfortable? Think about growing your own! Although it can seem daunting, growing your own veggies just requires a little bit of effort and some planning. Some things to consider before you start: How big should your garden be? A smaller garden that gets regularly weeded and watered will yield more than a large haphazardly tended garden.  How much should you plant? (Consider canning/drying your extra veggies for bonus green points!). Check to see what USDA Cold Hardiness Zone you’re located in to see what is necessary for soil prep and which veggies grow best in each season at your location.
Since many seeds don’t do well if planted directly in the ground, it’s best to start your seeds 6-8 weeks before you plant them outside. Use recycled containers filled with peat or soil to start your seeds: think egg cartons, tin cans, cleaned milk cartons, etc. Once the seedlings have sprouted, they can be easily transplanted into the prepared ground.
No room for a full garden? Try a container garden!  Containers can be put on a patio, porch, windowsill or doorstep. The best plants for a container garden produce over a period of time, like tomatoes or peppers.  Trellis plants, like peas or beans also work well in containers, and can double as decoration on patio or deck.  If you are really strapped for space consider growing kitchen herbs in a window box for an easy addition of organic freshness to your cooking.

For more in depth, step by step instructions for growing veggies in AZ, check out
http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/mg/vegetable/index.html